IN PHOTOS: Catastrophic violence in Ukraine protests

IN PHOTOS: Catastrophic violence in Ukraine protests

A shaky truce crumbled in troubled Kiev on Thursday morning, when gunfire erupted at Independence Square which has been ground zero for anti-government protesters in Ukraine.

At least 20 protesters died, said Oleg Musiy, head of the protesters' medical service. A policeman was also killed, the interior ministry said, CNN reported.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich accused pro-European opposition leaders on Wednesday of trying to seize power by force after at least 26 people died earlier in the worst violence since the former Soviet republic gained independence.

After a night of petrol bombs and gunfire on Independence Square, black smoke billowed from a burned out trade union building that protest organisers had used as a headquarters.

Security forces had occupied about a third of the square -- the part which lies closes to government offices and parliament -- with protesters pouring in to reinforce their defences on the remainder of a plaza they have dubbed "Euro-Maidan".

The protests first erupted in November when President Yanukovych rejected a landmark association and trade deal with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia.

Since then, the protests spread across Ukraine, with the main demand of snap presidential and parliamentary elections, BBC reported.

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Image: Anti-government protesters throw missiles during clashes with riot police at the Independence Square in Kiev Photographs: David Mdzinarishvili/Reuters